It was revealed earlier this month that Joss Whedon had signed an exclusive deal with Marvel Studios to, among other things, help develop a new live action series for Marvel Television at ABC. Today, Deadline has revealed that, now greenlit by ABC, the series will be titled "S.H.I.E.L.D." and will focus on the top secret defense organization featured throughout the Marvel cinematic universe.

Whedon will write the pilot alongside his brother, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen (who previously worked with Whedon on "Dollhouse" and "Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"). All three will also join Jeffrey Bell and Jeph Loeb as executive producers. The site notes that Whedon may also direct the pilot, but that nothing is confirmed at this time.

It remains to be seen which, if any, actors and/or characters from the Marvel Studios films are planned to appear on the show, though it's very likely that "S.H.I.E.L.D" will have direct ties to future Marvel Studios cinematic entries, including the Whedon scripted and directed Marvel's The Avengers 2, set for release on May 1, 2015.

As reported yesterday, ABC has picked up Joss Whedon's "S.H.I.E.L.D." to the pilot stage as a part of his exclusive deal with Marvel Studios. It wasn't long after this was reported that we all started to wonder where it would fit into the larger scheme of the Marvel films.

Variety now has some quotes from Whedon about the project who said not to call it a 'spinoff.' Whedon also said the series will be 'autonomous' to The Avengers sequel that he is writing and directing.

Whedon will write the pilot alongside his brother, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen (who previously worked with Whedon on "Dollhouse" and "Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"). All three will also join Jeffrey Bell and Jeph Loeb as executive producers. It's rumored that Whedon may also direct the pilot, but that nothing is confirmed at this time.

So how involved will Whedon be? Variety's Cynthia Littleton tweeted that "[Joss] reserves right to pepper in bits here and there. His bro Jed and Maurissa T. will be showrunners, he'll just show up every now and then 'and take credit for everything.'"

After serving as the anchor for the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One, Clark Gregg is set to do the same on TV. The actor will reprise his role as S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Phil Coulson in Joss Whedon‘s ABC series Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D. Whedon himself send a video to New York Comic-Con to make the announcement